CAEN AR/VR/MR Hardware and Software

Principal Investigator(s): John Hufnagel, College of Engineering

Unit(s) Involved: College of Engineering

Summary: CAEN is currently exploring multiple solutions for introducing AR/VR into the College of Engineering. All of our explorations are focused on bridging the gap between the CAEN software library and these new visualization techniques. Our first entry is focused on Virtual Reality using the HTC Vive with a Dell Alienware system. Our second exploration was focused on commercial gaming solutions and allowed us to compare Sony's Playstation 4 VR headset to the HTC Vive. The third exploration focused on creating digital twins of real world objects by using a Structure Sensor from Structure.io paired with an Apple iPad Pro. Our current exploration involves the Dell Visor and controllers paired with Windows 10's Mixed Reality mode.

Exploration within these different realities involves not only hardware but software as well. The CAEN software library is extensive and much of the software used at the College is used in industry. Since AR/VR/MR is so new, very few of the software companies have written interfaces for the new visualization technique so CAEN is seeking translators to help. The Autodesk VRED 2017 application provides a unidirectional translation of many different file formats into VRED which then allows users a simplistic VR interface using the HTC Vive. PTC Creo 4.0 has a publishing tool (licensed from ThingWorx) that outputs web accessible AR geometry to any device capable of running the viewer app which includes iPhones and Android devices. The PTC / ThingWorx workflow is simple and CAEN feels it's currently the best solution for bringing AR into the classroom.

CAEN AR/VR/MR Hardware
HTC Vive + Dell Alienware
PS4 Pro + PlayStation VR
iPad + Structure Sensor
Dell Visor + HP z240 (CAEN lab machine)

CAEN AR/VR/MR Software
Autodesk VRED 2017
PTC Creo 4.0 M020